Is It Time for a New Air Conditioner?

We’ve hit that point that we’re looking toward some consistently hot weather. If you aren’t careful to make the appropriate preparations for summer weather now, you may find yourself in a pretty uncomfortable situation when the hot temperatures reach their peak. Preventive maintenance is typically the top of the list for summer AC care.

However, even with timely preventive maintenance appointments, your air conditioner might still not be up to the task of getting you through another summer. If your AC system has reached the age of 10 to 15 years, then it may be time to replace your Fremont, CA air conditioner. But how do you know for sure?

Your System Is at Its Lifespan

As we mentioned above, assuming you schedule routine maintenance—and prompt repairs when the situation calls for them—you will get about 10 to 15 years of useful service life out of your air conditioner. Once a cooling system gets older than that, it starts to develop problems.

Of course, this will vary depending on the individual situation, including what type of AC system you have and who the manufacturer is. However, for most people, an air conditioner that is over 15 years of age is most likely a candidate for replacement. Be sure to consult with one of our professional HVAC technicians to decide whether or not you’d benefit from installing an entirely new system.

You’re Frequently Calling for Repairs

All AC systems require the occasional call for repairs. Accidents happen with any appliance. Under normal circumstances, however, you shouldn’t have to repair your AC system more than once every few years. If you find yourself calling for service every few months, instead, particularly if it’s a different component that breaks each time, then it’s a big sign that you need a new cooling system completely.

An air conditioner that continuously breaks down is often too worn out to keep going for much longer. The components within it are starting to fail, and the entire AC unit will break down permanently sooner rather than later. It’s a good idea to replace the system now, before you spend more money on repairs and it just breaks down anyway. Also, a good rule of thumb is that if your next repair is going to cost over half of what a replacement system will, it makes more sense economically to go with the AC upgrade.

Your Cooling Costs Are Too High

Okay, so this one is sort of subjective. However, if you’ve noticed a spike in your cooling costs over what you were paying last year, or what your neighbors are paying now despite comparable use, then chances are that your AC system isn’t performing as efficiently as it once was.

As an air conditioner gets older, it begins to experience wear and tear from years of use. Eventually, this accumulates to the point that the lowered efficiency will create more operational problems, adding to your monthly bills, and to your repairs.